Parse on board

So this is what Lombardi was busy with all day?

On the biggest FA signing day all year, he's worried about signing Parse?

Small consolation for a wasted Sunday, don't you think, Rich? We were all waiting for news on this front, and it's good from the sounds of it, but it certainly does feel anti-climactic at this point..

Thank You Rich.

finally some good news for kings fans.

Rich

Thank you very much for all your work on this blog. Your work today and on draft day are especially appreciated.

Although today may not have gone the way many of us fans would have wanted. It's nice to have a place to get this kind of information.

Many thanks!

yay

WTF.. WTF.. WTF.....

I've been a Kings fan since my Pa took me to my first Kings game at the Long Beach Arena in 72'..

I am in complete shock. Brierre gone, Drury, gone, Gomez, gone.....

Is Dean Lombardi throwing the franshise into complete disarre.

WTF... WTF...

WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE TAKE CONTROL OF THE FRANCHISE.

PLEASE!!!!!!

Hex, Lombo,, take example of Andy Murray, J. Davidson el al..

Kings in 2010! (only hoping)

Hey Rich, don't let the 'tone' of some of these posts make you feel like your blog is not appreciated. I think I can speak for many in saying that it's refreshing to have a place to talk Kings that isn't full of ridiculous posts by losers who have no life. We know that you are only the messenger...

Here's to hoping the signing of Kariya and Stuart...I think all would be forgiven and long as the contracts aren't as ridicoulous as the others handed out today.

Glad to see that DL and staff did work today.

I dont know what all of you guys are bitching about? After looking at the money the Rangers and Flyers signed those guys for im happy Deano didnt try to get into a bidding war. Wait and see what happens when the Rangers need to fill a hole for a playoff run and they cant get what they want because of those rediculous contracts. The same with Philly and Briere.

If only this had happened at 11:59am on July 1st, everyone would be happy. Not in the ironic way either.

Still, the Monarchs will be a pretty young team next year, which is a step in the right direction.

We might be the new Oakland A's of Hockey. Though I despise the A's being a die-hard Angel fan, maybe it's not such a bad thing.

Thanks Rich, for being there for us Kings fans wherever they are (I'm in New Mexico), a little disappointing today, but I am happy we don't have all that money wrapped up in some of the ridiculous contracts handed out today. Now to go after some of the lesser names. More patience is in order for next season, us Kings fans should be used to it.

To Landon:

The Manchester Monarchs figure to be REALLY YOUNG next season since a lot of the guys who should be playing there to get experience instead will be in Los Angeles.

Question for Rich Hammond:

Have you ever had so many people thank you in one day for just doing your job? I bet Dean Lombardi doesn't thank you after you are done grilling him this evening!

Great job on the blog, glad the Daily News has added this as part of your daily work duties routine!

UM ok...some clarification.

All of us who are bitching are not directing a single quote AT RICH ... I've been up since 8:30 this am and have been refreshing this blog all day for news... NOT ONCE has anyone directed a single comment AT RICH ...

SECOND... we're all a little exhausted from having our hopes dashed... GIVE ME A BREAK with the "good thing we did'nt break the bank" crap ...

You think the fans in Anaheim are going "Gee, I wish they HAD'NT secured schneider today..that just ties up more money. I'm very worried about our cap future... gosh hopefully we'll be able to have enough room in the future to sign our younger players who HAVENT gotten to super star staus yet (if at all).

This whole thing makes me sick...

San Jose is not complaining today about signing thornton to another three years...

Detroit is not complaining about quickly spending money to fill the hole shneider left...

The thing that bothers me about this the most is that you can apply the "Invest in the future players" mantra to ANY TEAM IN THE NHL ... cmon guys... it's a slogan to get us all to keep going to staples with spirals in our eyes. THIS IS the SAME company BTW that just gave Beckham 250million!! for soccer!!! SOCCER!!! the only sport in the states with LOWER ratings than the NHL ...

Im not buying it!

Hey Aaron,

If ya paid attention to the Parse situation you would know this deal was done a few weeks ago but couldn't be announced until July 1st.

Rich--
I wanted to send my appreciation for all your hard work today, keeping us up-to-date. It's been a disappointing day for Kings fans, but I for one (and I may be one of the few) that respect what the front office did today. Lombardi has his plan and appears to be sticking with it, especially since few UFAs want to take a chance on the Kings. After 30+ years as a fan, I try to accentuate the positive: there's no way the team next year will be as dismal as last year; we may still get a "solidifying" defenseman; let's allow the players to compete this pre-season to make the best & most exciting Kings team possible. Now if I can actually get myself to believe all that. Thanks, Rich.

Yes, it's very gratifying to see how well the blog has been received. It's not about me, although I appreciate the kind words. It's just about sharing information and opinions, and everyone who contributes here does a great job of that. The more often that people click on this site, the more it shows my bosses that people do care about hockey, and that's good for everyone.

So thanks to everyone. I've been told that Lombardi will speak sometime tomorrow, so hopefully we'll all get some good answers. I'm certainly armed with some good questions, thanks to you.

It would have been nice to have Mathieu Schneider back on the blue line to help JJ learn the in's and outs. But, the real true concern for the Kings, is between the pipes, if they could find a younger Sean Burke we'd be in pretty good shape. I just hope and pray that DL does not go after Emery, he does have a great glove but there's more to goaltending then just catching the puck, little things like, knowing how to skate, handle the puck and when to leave the crease and when you do, have a plan.

RYAN SMYTH

Signs with Avs

Uggh ...

And Kariya goes to Andy Murray!

This is painful!!!

They've all ready got Keith K ...

You think they're worried about how much they're spending?!??!?!?!?!

OK one last thing before I go throw up.

The only reason why we're all so dissappointed is because the Kings had the greatest salary cap room in the NHL today and we were told that DL had the greenlight to spend to it.

It looks to me like the NHL past up DL today and he did'nt see it coming.

OH AND ABOUT PARSE

from hockeysfuture.com

"Parse is a relatively low risk/low reward player. Might develop into a legitimate NHL socring threat, but likely will be not much more than a depth forward."

NICE

Thanks again Rich for all the great coverage today and at last weeks' entry draft.

The bitter negativity of some Kings' fans regarding Lombardi's moves (or lack there of) during the draft and the first day of free agency is laughable. Finally, a Kings' general manager has a proven plan that will actually work and has the patience and resolve to stick with it.

I trust Lombardi, I admire his willingness to go with his instincts and I think he has done a remarkable job in transforming the teams' roster and reserve list in just a little over one year.

Quick story. Last week, shortly after the Kings chose Thomas Hickey, he was shown sitting at the team's table talking with Lombardi. I saw something in the way they were connecting with each other, building a relationship, setting the table for success.

Years ago, the Kings chose Scott Barney, who at the time was very highly rated. He had "fallen" to early in the second round and was considered a bit of a steal for the Kings. When he walked up to the team's table he literally had to tap one of the Kings' people on the shoulder in order to get his attention to shake hands and say hello.

Lombardi gets it that much more goes into building a winning team then just assembling a list of big names and adding up a salary cap number.

Some people just don't get it...and yes, I'm referring specifically to you, MattGeorge.

...watching "builders" drop like flies. This is beyond painful.

Perhaps more than thinking that Dean isn't trying, it is probably more like no one is really interested in coming to L.A. - at least not until the Kings start to win - which might not be possible without some quality FA signings.

All in all, a difficult July 1st.

Now I agree 100% with ex-sportswriter.

Rich, great job! This place is much better than asking HockeyBuzz.com to throw Kings fans a bone every once in a century for some news.

To the rest of ya...

If you're not just slightly bitter about what you have seen today, then I would have to question how much this team means to you. Not a slam, just the facts. Go back and re-read ex-'s last 2 posts. He's dead on. If you're not at the very least SLIGHTLY bitter....you're a duck fan. ;-0

Hey Bryan, I've been paying attention. The post was sarcastic, meant to poke fun at Lombardi's lack of involvement in today's UFA signings.

I have been kings fan for 15 years and I am so glad that DL haven't signed any of those overpriced free agent players.

Kings are in the rebuilding mode and have a good foundation that needs one more year of seasoning and experience before they can sign any of those impact players that ask for huge contracts.

And I think next year is going to be a better year for free agents.

They should sign Visnovsky for the next couple of seasons, so he could bring-in super stars like Gaborik or Hossa next year when they hit free agency market. They are all from Slovakia, and they are good buddies. Similar to the situation with Briere and Biron in Philadelphia.

If you gonna give out contracts like to Gomez, Briere, and Drury. You should at least expect 40-50 goals or 90-100 points from a player which I think Hossa and Gaborik are capable of that.

Imagine the first Line:

Frolov-Kopitar-Hossa/Gaborik

So, all I can say, good job Mr. Lombardi, STICK TO YOUR PLAN.

Rich, I'm late to the party, but let me just add, without too many words, how appreciative I am for what you're doing. You're doing a great job, and not just by writing good, fair articles and maintaining this blog, but also by establishing and maintaining such good rapport with Dean that allows you to be such a great sourse of information for us. Thanks again!

BallPoint makes an excellent point.

I agree that there is more to building a team than assembling proven talent with lots of points under their belts (lake placid anyone?) ...

But if your plan is one dimensional... ie if you rely only on high priced talent ... chances are it's not a great plan. The same can be said for a one dimensional plan that includes NO high priced talent.

If it turns out that it was the length of the contract that kept those big names coming to LA a part of me asks "is DL just missing the new NHL again?" First, he missed it last year by not carrying 3 goalies when we truly didn't have a #1 guy that had proven himself? Who knew Barb would have a good year but isn't that DL's job to anticpate? You would think he should have known that if Barb was playing well it would be hard to call him up due to the waiver rules. Or did he send Barb down basically thinking, "This guys is nowhere near being ready so only way I'll have to call him up is as a last resort and no other team will possibly want to take him or his contract on via waivers."

Now we're seeing all these long contracts. Is that the next thing he's missed? Think about it. The cap has gone up a lot in 2 years when no one is watching on tv. We've had struggling franchises like Nashville and Pitt and yet money seems to be coming in league wide. If the league got even just a slightly better tv deal then wouldn't that bring more money. And now that Pitt is resolved and Nashville is going to be that should help too. If it just keeps pace isn't that another 5-6 million increase next year? So is DL failing to anticipate what the cap may actually be in 2-3 years?

Lastly, we didn't even get guys like Schneider who signed for 2 years at same money as Blake. He's got same if not better numbers and is younger. So we're not even competing for the guys signing short term contracts or what?

P.S- Drury & Gomez have proven to be competitors so not like in 4 years they're going to just coast and collect a check. Briere is another story and more of a risk.

I've bookmarked your blog, Rich. It's the next best thing to being in the war room. Thanks.

Listen up, people. Don't go throwing all the blame at DL here. It's a two-way street. You can pony up and offer all the money in the world. But it's up to the player to actually WANT to sign and play in L.A.

I believe they offerred Zdeno Chra more money than Boston, but he wanted to stay on the east coast.

Can anyone in all honesty give me one good reason someone like Drury, Gomez, Briere, Kariya, Hannan, or anyone else for that matter would actually WANT to come play in L.A.??

What does this team have to offer that would even make it even remotely attractive? A dismal franchise history other than 1993 and a team coming into camp this fall with more questions than answers?

Money may be one thing, but people like playing on winners... not losers...

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it...

BTW... Parse has been difficult in signing, but I think he has more upside than people think...

GO KINGS!

JB,

1. It's easy to blame DL for not carrying 3 goalies, but don't forget that the genius Brian Burke was the GM that actually lost a goalie because of the new CBA rules. I don't know if any GMs in the league realized the risk of sending established goalies down and trying to bring them up.

2. Sure, the cap went up this season, but it didn't go up as high as was expected, and do you really believe that league revenues will continue to rise to increase the cap? Personally, it seems to me more likely that the cap will drop rather than rise. You cite Nashville as an example of a successful franchise, yet they have been dumping salaries for a month now. Even the SC winning Ducks will be posting a loss. This just doesn't sound like a growing league to me.

3. I am as disappointed as anyone about not getting any of the big FA forwards, but the prices and terms are just too high. Of course, perhaps the Flyers and Rangers aren't concerned about the length of contracts because if the league keeps going like this, it will be out of business within 5 years. Personally, my greatest disapppointment stems from watching the league shut down for a year only to come back and look exactly the same just 2 years later.

Dear Rich:
I, as well as all the gang on Online Kingdom really appreciate your information because we are simply speculators going in circles.
Personally, I knew Dino would NOT be signing all of those free agents from get-go, simply based on patterns and history. I have been following the Kings since 1967, and that pattern is forged so deeply it cannot be changed by Dean Lombardi or anyone else-sadly, it is the same way in some of the hearts of Kings fans, who listened to static on remote AM stations to listen to the Kings games.
Nonetheless, Thank You very much for all your hard work.

All this talk about players wanting to sign with winning teams makes me wonder why so many of them signed with that winningest of teams-Philly. The team with the worst record in the NHL was able to attract all of those players, so I think there is something else-what? I'd like to know.

Still small glimmer of hope.

Kings can still sign:
Peter Forsberg - down side of his career but would be amazing for the Kings young guns to be around this guy.

And I thought I would never say this BUT....
Yashin - could make a great second line center, maybe paired up with Frolov....?

Being optimistic....

We are not talking a cup run...

I think the main reason the Kings didn't sign anyone is that DL does not want to hand out no-movement clauses, which is friggin' genius in my opinion. The Kings did not land Chara due to money issues, but for the fact that DL would not give him a no movement. Drury got one from NY (I haven't read anywhere that Gomer got one, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did). Being stuck with Briere for 8 FRIGGIN' YEARS is INSANE. He didn't do much for Buffallo, and I don't anticipate him doing much for Philly either.

Plus, many GMs are spending like freakin' drunken sailors. Hell, I almost expected Glen Sather to whip out two pistols and fire them into the air like Colonel O'Hara from the Simpsons.

I think DL has a plan even it doesnt look like it right now. We have to remember that team chemistry is very important and it is very important to get the guys who wants to play for the kings, who wants to go to war for the kings and who take pride in wearing that jersey we all love. Im disapointed that we did not sign any high profile player but I dont want to spoil the team chemistry by signing a guy at 8 years and 6 mill a year. What happens if he looses his scoringtouch after 3years and then you stucked with him for 5 more years??? And for those complain about signing beckham for 250 millions- soccer is a world wide sports and beckham sells jerseys all over the world at a price for 100 dollar a jersey and If the club sells 50 000 jerseys and the club gets 60 dollar pr jersey. Then you see its well spend money. And the sponsors are loving beckham and they are willing to pay big bucks to get a deal with the galaxys. And the soccer jersey are full of companynames who generate money- hockey jerseys dont.
Go kings Go

A good point being brought up in how the Flyers got all those guys. Well, they paid them very, very well. That's the only way any team at the bottom of the standings is getting anyone. Look at the teams that finished around the Kings. Phoenix did nothing. Chicago got Perreault. Washington got Kozlov. Edmonton got a headcase and Nylander. Columbus did nothing. The Flyers were the only team that got much done, and they're not assured anything. They look good on paper, but they've done that before. Obviously the Kings had to go above and beyond, and Lombardi didn't bite.

Until they have a goaltender, they're not going anywhere anyway. Drury didn't solve any problems in Calgary(helped in Colorado though). He didn't solve any problems in Buffalo until Miller became a top goalie. Gomez has never played for a team in the NHL without possibily the best goaltender of all time(and he's got a good one in Lundqvist now).

It may have helped the Kings to sign someone yesterday, but without doing what the Flyers did(no-movement, many years, 6 and 7 million for good but not great players, etc), it probably wasn't going to happen. The Kings have to make the playoffs without the big ticket free agents first. Just like every other team that has won a cup.

To Skolgoar:

1. Burke had 2 established goalies and only needed someone when he had injuries so why would he carry 3 goalies? Plus he a had a great team in front so he didn't need to worry about goalies.

2. Nashville isn't succusful and neither was Pitt (I mean economically as far as being in turmoil w/ needing a new stadium). Yet the cap still went up. That's my point. Imagine now that Pitt made playoffs and Sid is truly blossoming? Once Nashville is resolved and as I said if the league ever got a decent tv deal $ has to go up.

3. As you said after a lockout year we're back where we were before in just 2 years. That tells me the league is healthy. How would leage go out of business? The agreement limits spending to less than revenues. I don't see ticket prices going down so why would revenues go down?

JB,

1. You commented "You would think he should have known that if Barb was playing well it would be hard to call him up due to the waiver rules." My point was not that Burke didn't need the goaltending help, my point was that DL was not the only GM that didn't realize about the minor league call up loophole.

2. Probably the biggest factor in the increase in league revenues was due to the strong Canadian dollar. The game is booming up in Canada, while in most the US, attendance is dropping. Yes, it is true that if US attendance improves, then the league revenues will go down, but in the current trend, that doesn't seem likely. On the other hand, unless the Canadian dollar actually rises above the American dollar, there is not likely to be much of an increase in growth.

3. See above. The league is not healthy when almost all of the teams in the Sunbelt are struggling with bankruptcy. Heck, even the SC winning Ducks are going to lose money. Ticket prices are at the breaking point, so while the owners may try to raise prices, they are just going to lose more gate receipts if they do. You can buy into the rosy picture that Bettman is painting, but I just don't believe it.

Don't by that malarkey about the Ducks losing money. The lockout taught us you can't trust teams and their numbers.

What makes you think Burke didn't know the rule. Maybe he made the bet (btw- turning out to be the right one) that his team was ok w/ 2 excellent goalies and in the outside chance both were hurt he had a team that could support a 3rd string goalie. Not knowing about the rule is a lame excuse. That's their job. Obviously DL has admitted already it was a mistake not carrying 3 goalies last year. My question is he missing another change in the league re: being too conservative to give long term contracts for guys that have proven themselves.

The Canadian Dollar? Your telling me that 6 teams are responsible for the growth of the whole league. And Nashville may have been "losing money" lately but in the span of a month he's received 2 offers. The Pens had 3 or 4 groups looking to buy them. So if the league is in so much trouble why all the interest in buying teams?

I'm a huge Kings fan but not a huge expert, so let me ask others out there,
how does a kid like Kopitar develop into a huge star without decent support? He has to work his buns off every shift.
Unless he has help, instead of improving, I'm
worried he'll get used up.
I'm not for throwing ridiculous bucks at some of these free agents, but we never get those second-tier vet forwards who can give Kopitar and other youngsters the aid and space to grow, we just get a bunch of over-the-hill grinders.
You can't just give management a pass on this.
They have to spend some $$
or make better decisions, one or the other if not both. But all we've been getting is NOTHING.
Just signing a bunch of
18-year-olds or retirees is
like relying on winning the lottery. You might get
lucky tomorrow but more likely not for 20-30 years,
and most likely NEVER.

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